2020 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD

2020 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD

Premium Electric SUV · AWD

316 mi 22 recalls 266 complaints
60 /100
TrimIndex Score

Based on battery health, build quality, owner data, EPA range, and market pricing

Below average for 2020 EV Compact SUVs (class avg 61)

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TrimIndex Intelligence
Synthesized today · v2.4
50 NHTSA Complaints
22 Active Recalls
12 Reddit Threads r/TeslaModelY
9 Forum Excerpts avg +0.02 sentiment

Sudden acceleration and steering failure cause documented crashes. 6 crash-involved complaints across independent owners span 2020–2026 — sudden acceleration and loss of steering control are the recurring patterns. 22 NHTSA recalls cite crash risk in suspension, braking, and autopilot systems.

Build quality trails the class benchmark by 33%. Delivery defect patterns — panel misalignment, cracked windshields, missing paint — appear across 3 independent platforms. Score of 65 compares to a class benchmark of 97, the largest gap across all scored dimensions.

Battery health data is absent for this model year. Score of 46/100 is the lowest across all six dimensions, yet chemistry, charge rate, warranty, and state-of-health metrics are all unrecorded. Multiple owners report 2530 miles of standby range loss per night — above normal thresholds.

Real-world range falls 23% below EPA for some owners. EPA-rated at 316 miles, multiple owners report 244 miles under typical conditions — 23% below EPA and 10 percentage points below the 87% class real-world average. Cold-weather performance further reduces usable range.

Software & Tech leads all dimensions at 88/100. FSD capability and continuous OTA updates are the leading positives across owner sentiment reviews. Positive autopilot and navigation data appears in 4 of 7 structured forum excerpts; Tesla's Supercharger integration draws consistent independent praise.

Full Synthesis

The 2020 Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD scores 60/100 on TrimIndex. Software & Tech leads all six dimensions at 88/100, driven by FSD capability and over-the-air updates. Safety is the primary concern: 22 NHTSA recalls cite crash risk, and sudden unintended acceleration appears in 6 crash reports across independent owners. Build quality registers 33% below the 97.4 class average. Battery health is the lowest dimension at 46/100, with no spec data available for this model year — demand a battery report on any used example. Market pricing sits 54% below original MSRP, with examples trading at $20,844–$24,800. For buyers: value is real, but a pre-purchase inspection is non-negotiable given this vehicle's documented safety and build record.

Analyzed by TrimIndex Data Engine · Scoring methodology →

Pricing & Market Value

Original MSRP $54,190 When new (2020)
Current Market Value $20,844 – $24,800 Composite from KBB & J.D. Power
▼ 54 – 62% moderate depreciation
KBB
Fair Purchase Price
$24,800
J.D. Power
Consumer Verified™
$22,786 Verified Fair Price

Score Breakdown

What matters most to you?

Drag the sliders to prioritize what you care about. Your TrimIndex Score recalculates instantly.

Your Score
60
/100
Battery Health
46
Weight25%
Owner Satisfaction
66
Weight20%
Build Quality
65
Weight15%
Value
50
Weight15%
Range & Efficiency
64
Weight15%
Software & Tech
88
Weight10%

Vehicle Specifications

316
miles
EPA Range
27.9
kWh/100mi
Efficiency
AWD
 
Drivetrain

NHTSA Recalls (22)

Dec 2024
Tires — Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
Campaign #24V935000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck, 2017-2025 Model 3, and 2020-2025 Model Y vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light may not remain illuminated between drive cycles, failing to warn the driver of low tire pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Jul 2024
Electrical System — Software
Campaign #24V554000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2024 Model Y vehicles. The hood latch assembly may fail to detect an unlatched hood condition after the hood has been opened.

An unlatched hood can fully open, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
May 2024
Seat Belts — Front — Warning Light — Devices
Campaign #24V376000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. In the event of an unbelted driver, the seat belt warning light and audible chime may not activate as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

A seat belt warning system that fails to alert occupants of an unbelted seat belt can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Feb 2024
Forward Collision Avoidance — Warnings — External — Pedestrian Alert
Campaign #24V153000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2013, 2018-2021 Model S, 2020-2021 Model X, 2018-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A factory reset muted the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."

Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are muted, increasing the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Jan 2024
Electrical System — Instrument Cluster — Panel
Campaign #24V051000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, 2019-2024 Model Y, and 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. An incorrect font size is displayed on the instrument panel for the Brake, Park, and Antilock Brake System (ABS) warning lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Warning lights with a smaller font size can make critical safety information on the instrument panel difficult to read, increasing the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Dec 2023
Electrical System — Adas — Driver Monitoring — Software
Campaign #23V838000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer leading up to the version(s) that contains the recall remedy. In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.

In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Feb 2023
Steering — Automated — Adaptive Steering
Campaign #23V085000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD Beta) software or pending installation.  The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution. In addition, the system may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver's adjustment of the vehicle's speed to exceed posted speed limits.

FSD Beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Nov 2022
Exterior Lighting — Tail Lights
Campaign #22V844000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2023 Model 3 and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. One or both taillights may intermittently fail to illuminate.

A taillight that fails to illuminate may reduce the visibility of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Sep 2022
Visibility — Power Window Devices And Controls
Campaign #22V702000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Model 3, 2020-2022 Model Y, and 2021-2022 Model S and Model X vehicles. The window automatic reversal system may not react correctly after detecting an obstruction. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 118, "Power-Operated Window Systems."

A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Apr 2022
Forward Collision Avoidance — Warnings — External — Pedestrian Alert
Campaign #22V235000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model Y, Model X, Model S, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The Boombox function allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion, which may obscure the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."

Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Feb 2022
Forward Collision Avoidance — Warnings — External — Pedestrian Alert
Campaign #22V063000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model S, Model X, Model Y, and 2017-2022 Model 3 vehicles. The Boombox function allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion, which may obscure the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) sounds. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, "Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles."

Pedestrians may be unaware of an approaching vehicle if the PWS sounds are obscured, increasing the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Feb 2022
Electrical System — Software
Campaign #22V050000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. A software error may cause a valve in the heat pump to open unintentionally and trap the refrigerant inside the evaporator, resulting in decreased defrosting performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."

Decreased defrosting performance may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Jan 2022
Seat Belts — Front
Campaign #22V045000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The audible chime may not activate when the vehicle starts and the driver has not buckled their seat belt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

The driver may be unaware that their seat belt is not fastened, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Jan 2022
Steering — Automated — Adaptive Steering
Campaign #22V037000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The "rolling stop" functionality available as part of the Full Self-Driving (Beta) software may allow the vehicle to travel through an all-way stop intersection without first coming to a stop.

Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Nov 2021
Suspension
Campaign #21V912000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles. The front and rear suspension knuckles may fracture, causing the suspension links to separate.

Suspension links that separate can reduce vehicle stability and control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Oct 2021
Forward Collision Avoidance — Sensing System — Camera
Campaign #21V846000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Model S, Model 3, Model X, and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles operating software version 2021.36.5.2. A communication error may cause false forward-collision warning (FCW) or unexpected activation of the automatic emergency brake (AEB) system.

Unexpected activation of the AEB system may cause the car to stop suddenly, increasing the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Oct 2021
Suspension — Critical Fasteners
Campaign #21V835000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Model Y and 2019-2021 Model 3 vehicles. The front suspension lateral link fasteners may loosen, allowing the lateral link to separate from the sub-frame.

A lateral link separation could shift the wheel alignment, causing instability and increasing the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
May 2021
Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Critical Fasteners
Campaign #21V387000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Model 3 and 2020-2021 Model Y vehicles. The brake caliper bolts may be loose, allowing the brake caliper to separate and contact the wheel rim.

Contact with the rim may cause a loss of tire pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
May 2021
Seat Belts — Critical Fasteners
Campaign #21V389000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Model 3 and 2019-2021 Model Y vehicles. One or both fasteners that secure the front seat shoulder belt to the b-pillar may not be properly attached.

An improperly attached fastener may prevent the seat belt system from performing as designed, increasing the risk of injury.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
May 2021
Seat Belts — Critical Fasteners
Campaign #21V388000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Model Y vehicles. One or both fasteners that secure the left and right second row seat belt retractors may not be properly attached.

Improperly attached fasteners may prevent the seat belt retention system from performing as designed, increasing the risk of injury.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Nov 2020
Suspension — Front — Control Arm
Campaign #20V709000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020 Model Y vehicles. The bolts connecting the front upper control arm and steering knuckle may have not been properly tightened, allowing the upper control arm to detach from the steering knuckle.

A detached upper control arm can cause the wheels to lean in or out, decreasing the driver's ability to steer and increasing the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov
Sep 2020
Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights
Campaign #20V609000

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2020 Model Y vehicles equipped with a global rear lamp and tow package configuration. A software error prevents the illumination of trailer brake lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Trailer brake lights that fail to illuminate during braking increase the risk of a crash.

Check VIN status at NHTSA.gov

NHTSA Complaints (266 total)

179
Safety
54
Build Quality
23
Battery
6
Satisfaction

Severity: 1 cosmetic  ·  2 minor  ·  3 repeat visit  ·  4 stranding  ·  5 crash / injury

5
Safety
Jul 28
In Summon Mode, autonomous driving, our car collided with another stationary parked car
Crash involved
5
Safety
Jan 19
Unexplained SUDDEN acceleration. At Kroger parking lot. I was at complete stop, then lightly stepped on accelerator to start moving and car suddenly, rapidly accelerated causing me to hit STOP sign. Unexplained acceleration! Fortunately no one was standing in front of the car. Caused some damage to the right, front area of the car.
Crash involved
5
Safety
Aug 12
While I was parking the car at a parking spot for a doctor's appointment, it accelerated by itself and drove over the parking spot front bump and drove a short downhill covered with grass. Then it drove across a street and stopped by hitting an SUV parked. During the whole process, I tried to stop it by braking it, but failed. While it slides down, I gave up controlling the car.
Crash involved
5
Safety
Jun 2
unexpected activate brakes while in autopilot. rapid deceleration can occur without warning, at random, and often repeatedly in a single drive cycle .
5
Safety
Jan 28
The car was almost parked and the parking button was about to pressed when the car suddenly accelerated hitting a light pole in front on the passenger side and the car ended up on a lane in a four lane local road perpendicular to traffic flow. The accelerator was definitely not pressed. I have been driving the car for last year and three months and have 26000 miles on it. There was no warning of nearby obstacles or any beeps.
Crash involved
5
Safety
Jan 12
I think regenerative braking makes the Tesla Y fishtail and swerve when driving in snow, ice or slippery surfaces when you decelerate or go downhill. The regenerative brakes cause the car to suddenly brake in snow or ice. If you brake suddenly in snow in a normal car, you may swerve, and this swerving is worse if the car is turned slightly. A friend swerved suddenly going downhill in WA in a snow storm. He recovered by lightly touching the accelerator. My Tesla Y spun 90 degrees when I took foot off accelerator in snowstorm in RI and I was able to recover. Minutes later on expressway at 25 mph, I took foot off accelerator and the car spun 180 degrees and hit a guard rail. In the Chevy Bolt owners manual, under winter driving, the first bullet point they make is to put the car in D--which turns off regenerative braking. You can reduce the amount of regenerative braking on a Tesla, but you can not turn it off. Under driving in winter on the Tesla on the website, there is no mention of reducing the regenerative braking in snow or ice. I think any EV with regenerative braking is at risk of spinning out in snow, ice or on slick surfaces.
Crash involved
5
Safety
Jun 2
The trunk hatch door does not stop moving (opening or closing) when it comes into contact with an object. Incident #1: I closed the trunk not realizing that my husband was under the hatch door. The hatch door came down on his head and did not stop closing until he forced it to stop with his arm. Incident #2: I pulled the car into my garage but did not realize that I had not pulled the car far enough into the garage. I opened the trunk from the drivers seat. The hatch door hit the closed garage door and kept trying to open (scratching the hatch door on the garage door in the process) until I was able to pull the hatch door down hard enough for it to stop moving. This is a safety hazard. A child/person could get caught and injured in between the hatch door and the trunk and/or the hatch door and another object.
5
Safety
Dec 7
MY 2020 MODEL Y LUNGED FORWARD WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT BEHIND A PICKUP TRUCK. I DID NOT TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR ANS THE BRAKE WOULD NOT STOP THE CAR. I IMPACTED THE PICKUP TRUCK AND DAMAGED THE LEFT CENTER OF THE CAR FRONT SLIDING UNDER THE PICKUP BUMPER. IT WAS AS THOUGH THE CAR TOOK OVER ON IT OWN. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR ME TO HAVE MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND I WAS STOPPED 6 FEET BACK FROM THE PICKUP IN FRONT OF ME. I AM NOW AFRAID SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN AND IT SHOULD BE EVALUATED BY TESLA. I REPORTED THIS TO TESLA AND WAS TOLD I WOULD HEAR SOMETHING BACK IN 3-5 WEEKS. THE DAMAGE CAN BE FIXED TO THE CAR BUT I AM NOW FEARFUL OF DRIVING IT.
Crash involved
5
Safety
Aug 25
SINCE MY WIFE AND I TOOK DELIVERY OF OUR NEW MODEL Y, WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ISSUES WHICH HAVE REQUIRED SERVICING. THESE ISSUES RANGE FROM WIRES HANGING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE TO WINDOW ALIGNMENTS TO OUR TURN SIGNAL NOTE WORKING AND MANY OTHER ISSUES. LATELY THE ISSUES HAVE BECOME A HAZARD TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE TESLA AND TO THE PUBLIC. THIS VERY SERIOUS HAZARD HAS TO DO WITH THE VEHICLES CONTROL DISPLAY. THE DISPLAY HAS FROZEN IN PLACE NOT ALLOWING US TO KNOW WHAT GEAR WE ARE IN, HOW FAST WE ARE GOING AND WHETHER THE SIGNALS ARE OPERATING. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED TWICE AND WEEK AND NOW IS HAPPENING EVERY OTHER TIME WE GET IN THE VEHICLE. WE HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH A FROZEN OR BLANK OR MALFUNCTIONING SCREEN WHILE DRIVING DOWN IH-10 ENDANGERING US AND THE DRIVERS AROUND US. WE ARE ESSENTIALLY DRIVING BLIND. IT IS A FRIGHTENING FEELING HAVING THE DISPLAY FREEZING AND THEN REBOOTING WHILE DRIVING DOWN A BUSY HIGHWAY. WE THOUGH THIS WAS A ONE OFF, THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES THIS HAPPENED; NOW IT IS HAPPENING EVERY OTHER TIME WE GET IN THE VEHICLE. TODAY, THE SCREEN REBOOTED TWICE AND EVEN AFTER THAT, THE SOUND NEVER CAME BACK ON. WE HAD NO ACCESS TO THE RADIO NAVIGATION GUIDANCE OR AUDIBLE SIGNALS. NOT TO MENTION THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER FAN SUDDENLY WENT FROM HIGH TO LOW ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANYWAY TO CONTROL IT. THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY ALERTS US THAT THE FRONT HOOD IS OPEN WHILE WE ARE DRIVING; THIS HAPPENS VERY OFTEN ALONG WITH THE OTHER ISSUES. THE SCREEN RANDOMLY DISPLAYS HAZRDS WHILE DRIVING AND THE SPEED AND GEAR SELECT DISAPPEAR RANDOMLY, REBOOTING OVER AND OVER WHILE DRIVING. THE CAR ALSO BRAKED VERY HARD ON THE HIGHWAY RECENTLY FOR NO REASON. MY WIFE AND I WERE BOTH IN THE VEHICLE. WE HAVE MANY VIDEOS AND PICTURES OF THESE OCCURENCES. MANY MORE RANDOM SAFETY ISSUES, TOO MANY TO LIST WHILE DRIVING. VERY HIGH SAFETY ISSUES.
5
Safety
Aug 8
SECONDARY FRONT HOOD SAFETY LATCH FAILED CAUSING MY HOOD TO OPEN WHILE ON HIGHWAY
4
Safety
Mar 11
Vehicle had "front passenger safety restraint system fault" multiple times intermittently. Serviced by Tesla service center in Dublin, CA who confirmed the problem. Documentation on the invoice stated that there was an open service bulletin related to this issue and was related to "the occupancy sensory in the seat was not functioning as expected." Upon inspection by the technician they found "an open connection in the seat harness and seat cover that can cause intermittent alerts." Additional repair notes indicate that this was to "address a service bulletin related to the front passenger seat's occupant classification system. We identified the need for an update to ensure proper functionality. To resolve this, we retrofitted the system in the front passenger seat as per the bulletin requirements." The fact that there is an open service bulletin for this issue indicates that it is not isolated to just this vehicle. An issue with the occupant sensors of a front vehicle seat directly impacts whether the air bags will deploy in a crash, therefore this is a serious safety risk.
4
Safety
Mar 8
A 2018 Ford Explorer, marked police vehicles, was operating with lights and siren when it proceeded through a red traffic light at an intersection. The subject vehicle, 2020 Tesla Model 3, was proceeding through a green traffic light at the intersection and struck the Ford.
Crash involved
4
Safety
Dec 25
Car was on complete auto pilot on mayland highway 270 and car suddenly took exit with any command and notification. Car was very close , few feet away from the guardrail at 55 mile per hour. This could have been a life threatening event with such decisions made by car. I saved all the dash cam videos of such two occurrence. I no longer have any trust in auto pilot software after too many mishaps with recent updates.
4
Safety
Oct 10
Interior of glass roof - dangerously hot on sunny days, capable of causing burns. This problem has caused several family members including children to yelp in pain due to brief contact with the glass (heads meeting glass surface while placing children in car seat, getting in and out of car seat and hands brushing against glass surface). The temperature inside the tesla also far exceeds other cars I go into. This is easily reproducible on any spring/summer day. I understand there are cars with black paint that can get hot and you try to avoid touching that area. But if there is literally black glass above you in the interior that is not insulated, that is completely unavoidable and a constant hazard. There should be insulation provided standard.
4
Safety
Jun 20
Subject: Complaint Regarding Faulty Seat Belt on Tesla Vehicle (VIN: [XXX] ) Dear NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline, I am writing to formally report a safety concern regarding my Tesla vehicle, VIN [XXX] . I have experienced issues with the seat belt system, which I believe are related to a known defect. Despite this, my vehicle was not included in the recent recall for faulty seat belts. The problem I am facing is consistent with the conditions described in the recall notice, and I am concerned about the safety implications of continuing to use this defective component. I believe that my vehicle shares the same defect as the recalled units, and I request that NHTSA review this matter to determine whether my VIN should be included in the recall or whether further investigation is warranted. Please advise on the next steps I should take, and whether Tesla should be required to address this issue for my vehicle. Safety is a top priority, and I appreciate your attention to this matter. Thank you for your assistance. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
4
Safety
May 12
Steering became difficult to turn to the right with the wheel sticking to the right when trying to turn or drive the vehicle. Tesla claims we had some kind of a large impact. Maybe a pothole. Tesla claims well this is a heavy vehicle. Out of no where we had to replace the entire steering rack. I've never had to replace an entire steering rack for a pothole. Seems ridiculous.
4
Software
Mar 25
​To whom it may concern, ​I would love some help with an issue I'm having with Tesla. I purchased my 2020 Model Y used from Tesla and the car was and is still under bumper-to-bumper warranty. I've had dozens of issues with the built-in dashcam and sentry modes that have stemmed from an update Tesla made, which has also resulted in my USB drives causing repeated errors. And while the USB drive error may not seem bad, it causes issues with the sentry mode and dashcam where they don't work and these features are some of the main reasons that I purchased the car, also making the car valuable to me and my family. Despite this, even though the car is still under warranty, Tesla Service​ in Sacramento is trying to charge me for my ninth service center visit for this same issue. Here's a list of my visits for this same (and related) issue: - 4/4/2024 - 4/19/2024 - 7/24/2024 - 10/25/2024 - 11/20/2024 - 12/18/2024 - 2/5/2025 - 3/6/2025 I have invoices for each, and again, each ​correlating visit ha​s been under warranty and now even though my car is still under warranty, Tesla is trying to charge me for attempting to fix this for my ninth visit for this same issue. C​an you please help me with this ongoing issue that Tesla is now trying to charge me for even though the car is under warranty?
4
Safety
Mar 19
The steering control arms were clicking and making noises when the steering wheel was turned. Reports on Reddit said dozens of people had this problem right before they completely busted and lost control of steering the vehicle. I took mine in to the service center and they acknowledged the problem and charged me over $750 to fix. This is a SAFETY ISSUE and should be recalled and fixed for free. I have owned cars for over 40 years and have NEVER had to replace steering control arms. They installed faulty parts.
4
Safety
Dec 29
On drives longer than 40 miles, camera faults cause cruise control systems to degrade in function and then when the faults are cleared, full functionality resumes without driver alerts. Side repeater camera feeds and rear camera feeds inconsistently load, or take an extended time period to load (10+ seconds). Tesla has confirmed that the autopilot computer (HW3) likely needs to be replaced, but this error/messaging is not directly accessible to the customer. The inconsistent failure behavior of the vehicle could easily lead less technical owners/drivers to incorrectly interpret how the car is behaving. The only message you receive while driving could be that 'cruise control is not available', and 'automatic emergency braking unavailable' with a message that the features may be restored later in the drive. My coworker has a 2022 Model Y and the same component failed on his vehicle and needed to be replaced under an extended warranty that was purchased from Tesla. I'm unsure how widespread the failure of this critical safety system is; we both purchased FSD and both had the same component fail and need replaced. I don't personally know others who own this vehicle with the FSD package to know for sure.
4
Safety
Oct 23
After being parked on a suburban street for about 3 hours, our Tesla Model Y experienced a complete loss of power-steering assist, requiring extreme hand-over-hand effort to turn the wheel and making it dangerous to drive. Warnings of "Steering assist reduced" and "Lane departure avoidance features unavailable" appeared on the display. After a 3-week wait, we finally got the vehicle to Tesla service, who diagnosed the issue and claimed that it was due to "...rodent damage to steering rack harness". They claim to have repaired the damage and the vehicle is again usable. Repair bill was $990. I have the vehicle and it is available for inspection. I cannot verify cause of the issue nor the repairs as they are not visible without a partial disassembly of the vehicle. No parts were returned to me (as I requested), so I must assume that none were actually replaced.
4
Safety
Oct 15
I own a 2020 Tesla Y with Hardware version 3 and after a few weeks of a free trial, purchased Tesla's Full Self-Driving Software (FSD) version 12.3.6. Since then, the FSD software was updated to version 12.5.4 and then 12.5.4.1. FSD version 12.3.6 had some safety issues. But version 12.5.4 and 12.5.4.1 has had more issues that have resulted in nearly having accidents that I have had to suddenly avoid. FSD version 12.3.6 issues: 1. Wandering outside of center yellow dividing stripes when on a curvy two-lane roadway 2. Failing to yield to oncoming traffic when making a left turn and oncoming traffic was not clearly in view due to a curvy two-lane road 3. Attempting to make a left turn into a busy intersection when the turn signal was still red FSD version 12.5.4 and 12.5.4.1 additional issues: 1. Attempting to enter a two-lane roadway from a stop sign, when the perpendicular traffic was active and they had no stop sign, requiring me to slam on the brakes. 2. Sudden and erratic braking on a two-lane roadway, including directly under a signal, when no objects, people or other vehicles were in front of me, which nearly resulted in the vehicle behind me hitting me in the rear 3. Software sending a tone and screen alert to grab the steering wheel immediately, due to a "System Failure." 4. Software sending a tone and screen alert that to grab the steering wheel immediately, due to "one or more cameras blocked," when no cameras were blocked.
4
Safety
Sep 22
I am reporting a recurring Safety Restraint System Fault error in my 2020 Tesla Model Y. The issue manifests as an alert on the vehicle's dashboard, warning of a problem with the safety restraint system. This error began appearing at approximately 75000 miles. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The Safety Restraint System in my Tesla Model Y is giving errors. Yes, the component is still installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This malfunction affects critical safety features, including the airbag system and seatbelt functionality, potentially preventing proper deployment of airbags in an accident. Additionally, when the fault occurs, it disables key driving safety features like Autopilot and cruise control, which increases the risk of accidents, particularly in scenarios where these features are expected to function. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the problem has been reproduced and confirmed by Tesla. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? Inspection by tesla is scheduled Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Yes, the "Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault" warning appeared on the vehicle's display prior.
4
Safety
Sep 8
While driving on the freeway was unable to steer. It has happens multiple times. Once on the freeway while I was trying to exit, I suddenly couldn’t steer. Another time, I was merging when again I could not move the steering wheel. The third time was when I was in the middle of making a left turn. All these situations were incredibly dangerous.
Crash involved
4
Safety
Aug 26
The contact owned a 2020 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH in rainy weather, the vehicle inadvertently spun in circles, and he lost control of the vehicle. The contact took his foot off the accelerator pedal. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle crashed into an embankment and then spun twice before inadvertently driving into the forest and coming to a complete stop. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact and his father, who was a passenger, were uninjured. There was no medical attention received. The vehicle was first towed to the tow yard, and then the insurance company had it towed to the salvage yard, where it was deemed totaled. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to contact the local dealer for the computer data. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
Crash involved
4
Safety
Jul 20
I have been getting "RCM2_a626" error for "front passenger safety restraint system fault. It comes and goes. Apparently it is a common issues among tesla owners. When I first filled for the error they quoted $2000 for replacing front passenger seat. The error went away so I canceled the appointment. Then it came back in a random fashion and getting more frequent. This time, in addition to replacing the front passanger seat cushion, "they're retrofitting "SBR in OCS Equipped Front Passenger Seat." I'm not sure what that means. If this is a common issue, there must be something to do with manufacturer QC.
4
Safety
Jun 20
When driving over 45 miles approximately the steering becomes sticky and hard to move. Feels like a bump in the rack and pinion and then it jerks which would cause a car to hit other vehicles or be out of control.
4
Safety
Jun 18
we were in a head-on collision (not our fault) in April. The police determined the combined speed of the crash impact to be 60-65 miles per hour. The 2020 Tesla Y  did not deploy its airbags. And as far as we can determine, the accident was not automatically recorded by the Tesla as it should have been. Because the airbags did not deploy, I sustained a fracture to my sternum that traverses over to my collarbone. We both have TBIs and other injuries. With that kind of an impact, one would expect an airbag to protect oneself, yet it did not. There were no warning lights/messages/etc from our vehicle. We are asking that you please look into this safety matter. (Especially since you are part of the push to have us own electric cars, they need to be safe for us). I do not know how much longer the Tesla will be available to inspect.
Crash involved
4
Safety
Jun 12
When I went to my local garage to have a wheel rotation and wheel alignment done, they discovered that my rear driver side break hose was leaking. They also discovered that the rear passenger side break hose was showing similar wear/damage. I had the car towed to Tesla repair center because the replacement parts were backordered for the local garage. At the Tesla repair center, I asked if this was a potential build quality issue or something else, which they couldn't answer. Besides tire related items, like new tires and wheel alignment, all my other servicing was done thru Tesla. They noticed that they had done some half-shaft lubrication work that would have required them to disassemble the breaks. Of course they are not going to speculate or admit wrong doing. Therefore, in my mind, the issue was either original build quality from the factory or maybe the Tesla service mechanic not properly reassembling the breaks during one of the service visits. Just incase this was a factory build issue, I wanted to put in this incident so it can be counted towards any tally that NHTSA maybe keeping.
4
Safety
May 20
Tesla Model Y 2022 lost steering control April 20, 2024 Vehicles - Model Y While backing out of indoor parking garage Steering wheel locked up! Before I could hit the brake the car collided with the cement wall in the garage. Causing some damage to right side. I tried a system reset, no luck. Called Tesla they had me go into diag mode and try a few things with no success. They sent a tow trunk and took to car to the Tesla Highland Park then to the Collision center – they could not unlock the steering wheel and called in people from the FTS (Field Technical Support) team to look at it. Very UNSAFE, it could have been much worse. I do not trust the car anymore!
Crash involved
4
Safety
Apr 24
Rear seat seatbelt (behind driver) doesn't latch
4
Safety
Apr 13
Rcm2_a636 Front passenger safety restraint system fault
4
Safety
Mar 26
I am writing to file a complaint against Tesla, Inc. for refusing to repair recurring suspension issues that were supposedly addressed through previous recalls. As an owner of a 2020 Tesla Model Y (VIN: [XXX] ), I have experienced numerous problems related to the vehicle's suspension system, steering, and safety restraints, which I believe pose serious safety risks. My vehicle has undergone multiple repairs at Tesla service centers for issues such as squeaking noises when turning, vehicle shutdowns while driving, steering difficulties, and excessive tire wear. Many of these problems are related to the vehicle's suspension system, which has been the subject of several recalls by Tesla in recent years, including recalls [XXX],[XXX], [XXX], and [XXX]. Despite these recalls supposedly addressing the suspension issues, my vehicle continues to experience problems. Most recently, on [XXX], I brought my vehicle to a Tesla service center for a loud and distinct sound coming from the steering system. The service center diagnosed the issue and recommended repairs to the front half shaft assembly, front damper assembly, and front lower lateral links, with a total estimated cost of $3,670. These issues should be covered under warranty and are directly related to the previous suspension recalls. However, Tesla has refused to cover the repairs under warranty. Furthermore, I have experienced recurring issues with the front passenger safety restraint system, which required a retrofit of the Occupant Classification System (OCS) on two separate occasions. This suggests that the initial repair was ineffective and that the system may have an underlying design flaw. I request that the NHTSA investigate these issues and take appropriate action to ensure Tesla addresses these safety concerns and honors its warranty obligations. I have attached documentation detailing the repair history, invoices, recall notices, and correspondence with Tesla. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(
4
Safety
Mar 1
Tesla Model Y, loses control in snow and fish tails, making it unsafe. This has happened multiple time in winter and even in heavy rain. I follow standard recommendations for winter/snow driving, if you skid, ease off acceleration, and do not brake to avoid skidding. If we do this, the regenerative brakes kick in and brakes the car, causing the skid. Have had several narrow escapes in highways and even in regular roads. I hope Tesla will can give an option to turn of the regenerative braking for winter driving. Thanks
4
Safety
Feb 19
The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH with the Auto Pilot activated, the driver attempted to steer into the left lane to avoid a collision. The vehicle suddenly began to fishtail causing the driver to lose control of the steering and crash into the concrete median. During the crash, the vehicle was destroyed. The air bags did not deploy and the driver sustained a head contusion and later received medical treatment. No police report was taken. The vehicle was towed to the home. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the incident. The contact later received a recall notice for the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V838000(Electrical System). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 45,000.
Crash involved
4
Safety
Feb 11
Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault​, error message appeared. Tesla is asking for ~$1500 to fix a sensor that would prevent air bag from deploying. Seems like a safety issue that should be addressed. The message appears whenever there is someone/some thing in front passenger seat. Tesla has inspected. I believe it happened after a minor accident in a parking lot, but Tesla and the repair shop can not prove that it did, so insurance will not correlate to the accident.
Crash involved
4
Safety
Feb 4
The contact owned a 2020 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while reversing at low speed from his driveway, the accelerator pedal inadvertently depressed into the floorboard, resulting in sudden unintended acceleration. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to stop immediately. The vehicle struck two other parked vehicles in another driveway before crashing into a residence. The residents were not injured. The contact sustained a fractured neck, and shoulder pain from his seat belt, and head pain from striking the steering wheel. The contact's front passenger sustained a bruised shoulder, and the rear passenger, who was laying down on the rear seats, rolled over during impact and hit the rear seats, sustaining back and leg pain. The contact and his passengers were transported by ambulance to the hospital. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, where it was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that after reviewing the event data recorder (EDR), the data showed that the contact had his foot depressed on the accelerator pedal during the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 14,000.
Crash involved
4
Safety
Jan 3
All the cameras in the vehicle are inoperable which causes autopilot not to work. The lane assist feature of the vehicle has stopped working. Driver has to constantly adjust to keep the vehicle from veering into traffic. The navigational system in the vehicle does not work. These safety issues require Tesla's immediate attention as this may lead to a fatal accident.
4
Safety
Oct 7
Front Passenger safety restraint system fault. This is 3rd time this system warning has come up. The previous 2 fixes were under warrantee (the last one was Feb 2023), the new one is not and estimated at $1100 fix.
4
Safety
Sep 24
We’re getting errors for traction control, reduced traction, control, disabled automatic emergency, braking is unavailable, ABS disabled. This is a manufactures defect, and Tesla is requiring us to pay.
4
Safety
Sep 10
Passenger rear seat seatbelt stopped working abruptly. Buckle will not click to secure.
4
Safety
Sep 4
Was driving on the interstate and a notification that “Steering assist reduced” came on the screen. About 10 minutes later my steering wheel became extremely hard to turn. I almost crashed going thru the tunnel! For the next many days I never had issues and thought it was a technical problem, because you would think if power steering is not working it wouldn’t magically work again 5 minutes later when you turn the car on. I had service done to fix something else in the car and had them take a look. There is an issue with the steering rack and want me to pay 3k to fix. My car only has 54k miles on it. So I’ve done some googling and found that I am not the first and won’t be the last to have this issue! It’s funny that Tesla service knew immediately what was wrong but at the same time didn’t know why it would happen. Sounds like it’s not my problem and I shouldn’t be paying 3k for it. Especially if brand new cars are also having the same issue. Today it did the exact same thing but then magically works again after I power off the car. It’s been about a week since the first incident.
4
Safety
Aug 29
While driving in cruise control mode, not auto steer, and with no vehicle in or obvious obstruction in front, the brakes will be applied without warning (phantom braking). It has happened multiple time in the years of ownership. It has happened once or twice with a vehicle following resulting in near rear-end collision. In one case this resulted in the follower reacting with "road rage," passing with horns blaring and braking in front of my vehicle. I have this recent incident on video as it just requires me to honk the horn and the last 5-10 minutes of driving is recorded.
4
Safety
Aug 20
I purchased our Tesla model Y 3 years ago. I intentionally disabled and did not subscribe to any autonomous driving features because I don’t trust them. I disabled all aspects of auto pilot functions. Despite this, my car still will automatically swerve at random times, slam on the brakes randomly with no reason to break, etc. It is terrifying when this happens unexpectedly and infuriating that I have disabled all these features, but it still does this. This is most common when I put it in cruise control. Rarely these will happen when, for example you cross a double yellow line, but most of the time they happen when nothing has occurred to prompt them. I believe this is an unsafe feature, and needs to be investigated. Unfortunately, with Tesla they have no customer service so there’s nobody that I can report this to.
4
Safety
Aug 10
Tesla advertises lane keeping assist, emergency lane departure assist etc. What happens is if you trigger this feature too many times during a drive the software disables this safety feature entirely. There are plenty of disclosures about not relying on the features etc. The issue i feel that warrants intervention from your departments is, how can a manufacture completely disable a safety feature just because a driver actually relied on said safety feature.
4
Safety
Aug 6
Its a known issue affecting many model 3 and model Ys front passenger safety restraint system fault. It's all over the tesla message boards. It just happened to my vehicle.
4
Safety
Aug 2
The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model Y. The contact was driving approximately 3 MPH as she was parking the vehicle, front end first, the vehicle independently accelerated as she removed her foot from the accelerator. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact's vehicle crashed into the vehicle's front end that had already been parked, the vehicle was not occupied. The contact stated that she depressed the brake with force. The contact stated that the force of the crash had moved the other vehicle out of the parking spot and into the lot. The contact's vehicle had a crushed front bumper and the other vehicle also had damage to the front bumper. The contact's vehicle was drivable. There were no injuries and the police were not involved. The contact had not been taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed and had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
Crash involved
4
Safety
Jul 18
Phantom breaking
4
Safety
Jun 19
While driving at highway speeds (50mph-80mph), on 2 lane or 4 lane highways, in the day or night, in sunny conditions and overcast sky's, while using the cruise control (auto-pilot), the car will suddenly and unexpectedly apply the brakes. It happens between 8 and 10 times on every road trip, each way. Not only is it a shock to me as there is never a visual obstacle that seems to be causing the hard braking, but it is a dangerous safety issue to other motorists too. This has caused cars behind me to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision. Other motorists have mistaken this hard braking as me "Brake-Checking" them and very nearly cause a road-rage incident. I've had the car for about a year and have opened several service appointments with Tesla. Each time they close the case before the service appointment with a version of the reply "this is normal" and "there is nothing to repair". They also claim that the car will learn how the react next time by my reaction to the incident this time. I have reacted the same way (by pushing the accelerator pedal until it regains forward motion) each time this has happened in the 8-10 times on each of the 6-8 road trips I've made in the last year. Clearly, the car isn't learning anything from my reaction to the sudden and unexpected braking. My safety is worth my time to make them take this seriously as they don't seem to be concerned with my safety!
4
Safety
Jun 14
On the last road trip, my car emergently braked for no reason when using cruise control and autopilot causing safety issues for cars behind my vehicle. This happened at least 6 times on my 500-mile round trip. I reached out to Tesla service and was told there is no fix at this time. in my opinion this is a dangerous problem that needs addressing in an urgent manner.
4
Safety
May 23
The contact owns a 2020 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated, indicating that the passenger’s side air bag was disabled. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty; however, the manufacturer sent a mechanic to the residence, who replaced the sensor; however, the failure recurred. The mechanic came back a second time and performed a bypass on the sensor; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer informed the contact that the passenger's seat needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to the code RCM2_A636 (Front Passenger Safety Restraint System Fault). The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Showing top 50 of 266 complaints (sorted by severity, most recent first). Full dataset available via NHTSA ODI search.

What Owners Are Saying

▲ +0.90Build Quality

"Model Y - HW4 - "Disappointingly" flawless experience :) Picked up my Model Y (with HW4) on May 29. Ordered on Apr 23. Vin F793xxx. North California. Pre-delivery experience: Awesome service during pre-delivery. I messaged the service agents to ask about HW3 vs HW4 on my car. They replied promptly and confirmed HW4. I also requested to pre-pone my car pick-up time. They proposed an earlier timeslot. They were friendly and helpful throughout our conversation, even replying with a warm "you are welcome.". Totally exceeded my expectation, especially considering the complaints I've seen on the forums about unresponsive service agents. Delivery experience: I was super anxious about the build quality and the support I would receive at the delivery site (North California). Again, I probably read too many “horror” stories in Tesla forums. But, after arriving at the delivery office, I was greeted immediately by Tesla staff. The staff welcomed me and offered help. As I proceeded to inspect my car, which was conveniently parked right in front of the office, the staff continuously offered their help in the most friendly and non-pushy manner. I was again surprised by the friendliness and professionalism of the Tesla staff. Model Y build quality: Equipped with a checklist I found on GitHub (GitHub - polymorphic/tesla-model-y-checklist: Checklist for Tesla Model Y), I meticulously examined my car. To my absolute delight, I couldn't find any flaws! The build quality was impeccable, without gap issues, paint chips, or misalignments. The delivery center had taken great care to clean and detail the car before my pick-up. Hope you will have the same great experience as me! Enjoy your new Model Y."

— r/TeslaModelY · 2026
▲ +0.90Satisfaction

"I Test Drove a Model Y Today - WOW I test drove the Tesla Model Y today. I had never been in a Tesla previously. I was floored by this car. I'm sold. Regenerative braking is interesting. I was trying to explain to friends my driving experience. So there is a master brake pedal but you don't use it much. If you ever played the old school RC cars, where you pull the trigger and the car zooms off, and you ease off on the trigger and the car slows, that's exactly how the Tesla drives. You have a zoom pedal! And if you ease off on the zoom pedal you slow rather quickly and will come to a stop. The concept took me a few minutes because it's so foreign to how I learned to drive 30+ years ago. Very fun after you learn the perfect touch on the zoom pedal! Speaking of zoom. I was not prepared for just how fast this car is. I literally burst out laughing every time I hit the pedal because the sensation is just insane. So fun. Much to my SOs chagrin I hit the freeway with the intention of using Autopilot. I let the car drive itself for a couple of minutes. Perfectly navigated down I80 at 75mph. Felt solid. Lastly my SO and I came away with the same impression on fit and finish and overall build quality. After reading many horror stories over the years about Tesla's quality, this car was flawless in and out. Very upscale feel inside. Quiet and comfortable. Really happy with the car in that respect as well. The TouchPad was very intuitive. I ordered a Red LR. Still undecided on FSD. I was happy with the performance of Auto Pilot. But I might change my mind before the price increase on June 1st. Amazing car! I took some photos and my friend has already customized my car for me. Imgur"

— r/teslamotors · 2026
▲ +0.90Satisfaction

"5,000 Miles With My 2026 Model Y — Honest Thoughts From a Happy Owner Hey all, I just crossed 5,000 miles in my new 2026 Tesla Model Y, and wanted to share a real-world review from someone who drives a lot and came from a 2022 Mercedes E350. Spoiler: this thing blew me away. ⚡️ Driving Experience The driving experience is phenomenal — especially when you’re not driving. Full Self-Driving makes commuting effortless. Acceleration is quick, and handling feels planted yet smooth; it soaks up bumps way better than I expected. The only weak spot is braking — on the rare occasion I actually use the pedal, it’s hard to feel exactly how much pressure to apply since regen does most of the work. Coming from my Mercedes, I can confidently say the Model Y’s suspension and ride comfort far surpass the Benz. It’s not S-Class smooth, but the new setup is a big leap from earlier Model Ys and incredible value for the price. 💰 Value Honestly, that’s what shocked me most — the value. After the tax rebate, I paid around $42K, and I can’t think of another car that comes close in performance, tech, comfort, and running costs. I went in planning to buy a Model X but changed my mind after driving both. The Y felt like a steal; the X felt way overpriced for what you get. 🔋 Range & Charging The range has been spot-on. I regularly drive 300+ miles at a time, and the trip planner has never let me down. Charging at home is the main move for convenience and cost savings, but honestly, I could rely on Superchargers alone if I needed to — the network is that reliable now. 🧠 FSD & Tech Full Self-Driving deserves its own section. I was hesitant at first because of all the mixed opinions online, but after getting used to it — especially with FSD v14 — I’d say I drive manually maybe 5% of the time now. It handles most scenarios beautifully and even manages braking and acceleration seamlessly. It’s not perfect yet — it struggles on private or unmarked roads, and parking lots are still hit-or-miss — but it’s pretty darn close. The tech overall has been smooth, intuitive, and fast. 🪑 Interior & Comfort The build quality surprised me in a good way. More soft-touch materials than my Mercedes, super quiet cabin, no rattles or squeaks so far (knock on wood). The seats could use a bit more cushioning, but they’re still comfortable for long trips. I was initially unsure about the minimalist design, but now I love it. It keeps me organized and gives the cabin a clean, relaxing vibe — perfect when I’m just chilling while FSD does the driving. 💸 Ownership Costs The app says I’m saving about $300 a month on gas. I charge mostly during super off-peak hours, which keeps my costs crazy low. Maintenance is nearly nonexistent — one-pedal driving means brakes basically never wear out. ⚙️ Things I’d Change A few things bug me: • I really wish it had a heads-up display. If Tesla’s going minimalist, at least give us something on the windshield. • Offer 18-inch wheels"

— r/ModelY · 2026
▲ +0.90Software

"Tesla with HW4 FSD is the best daily driving experience I ever had. FSD was doing 80% of my driving a couple months ago, now it’s like 95%. Supercharger network is nice, but FSD is the feature I can’t live without."

— r/TeslaModelY · 2026
▽ 0.95Software

"The Tesla Model Y LR Brand new car continues to have issues after the software update after 3 attempts to fix it, and the loaner was denied :(. What would you do next? We picked up our brand-new Tesla at the end of December 2023. We were very excited as it was our first car. After testing multiple vehicles of different brands, we decided on getting the TESLA Model Y majorly because of its convenience features, i.e., Blind spot indicator, Side Camera, Backup Camera, Navigation, Autopilot, etc. Within 15 days of driving, we got a Sentry mode failure error on our Tesla app. Upon further investigation, we also found that the side cameras, backup cameras, and navigation were also not working. ​ **Attempt 1:** We immediately took it to the service center in Jan to see if they could help us fix the issue. The service center accepted all the problems and mentioned they needed time to fix them as it might be a computer or firmware update issue. They gave us a loaner and assured us to resolve the issue. Four days later, we got a message notification that the car was fixed, and when we went to pick it up, we noticed the cameras were blacking out intermittently(2-5) seconds. They again took the car, gave us the loaner, and mentioned they would send this to a high-caliber technician to fix it. **Attempt 2:** Fifteen days later, we again got the notification to pick up the car, as it had been fixed, but this time, while picking it up, we noticed water getting clogged at the trunk hatch. We brought this to the service help desk, and they again kept it at the service center as they needed time to fix it. **Attempt 3:** After a few days, for the third time, we got a notification that all issues were resolved, and we were finally excited, keeping our hopes high to drive back our car home happily. But again, lousy luck, as when we went to pick up the car and moved out of the parking lot, our vehicle was swamped with all of the issues we faced in January 2024. This time, again, no cameras on screen, navigation, autopilot, or sentry mode were working anymore. We immediately addressed it to the service center. They asked to wait patiently for the next update when the issues will fix themselves. They have no timeline for when we will get the new update. They had engineering work on the car multiple times and confirmed it was not a computer replacement and would not solve these as it was a firmware issue. The service helpdesk argued that these Cameras, Blind spot indicators, Side Cameras, Backup Cameras, Navigation, Autopilot, etc., are all convenient features, and the car is safe to drive to, which we disagree with as the decision to buy a Tesla car was significant because of these features which makes it safe to drive. They even said, "Sorry about the inconvenience caused, but we won't be able to give you the loaner back." In the service summary, they asked to do a scroll reset if the issue occurs in the future. I have done that four times, but none"

— r/TeslaModelY · 2026
▽ 0.95Software

"Tesla Model Y Software v12 (2024.44.3.1) Update Issues: Anyone Else? Hi all, Just updated my 2024 MY (7-seater) to software version v12 (2024.44.3.1), and it’s been a disaster. Since the update, I’ve lost all connectivity, which means no autopilot, no GPS/connectivity, driver assistance features, and no functioning cameras. Even basic screen functions are acting up, and the car is borderline unusable apart from actually being able to drive. I’ve already tried multiple resets by holding both scroll wheels, but nothing has improved. It’s incredibly frustrating, especially since the car worked perfectly fine before this update. Has anyone else experienced similar issues with this update? Any advice or insights on how to troubleshoot would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance! Update: I got my car back after Tesla replaced the computer, and everything worked fine for about two weeks. The same issues—loss of connectivity, non-functional cameras, autopilot, and GPS—started happening again. The car is now back at the service center for a second computer replacement."

— r/TeslaModelY · 2026
▽ 0.90Build Quality

"I was excited to get a Model Y. We finally arrived and saw our new Model Y ready for us to take possession. After briefly inspecting the exterior, I was shocked at all the quality issues. 1. Windshield was cracked in the lower right corner near the VIN#. 2. Missing paint at the back rear window... 3212KDon03st replied Jun 14, 2024 News from Drive Tesla Canada RSSFeed Jul 7, 2023 Tesla updates referral program to add cash discount and FSD trial for Model 3/Y buyers"

— Teslaownersonline · 2026
▽ 0.90Build Quality

"I refused my Y at delivery just about 10 days ago. It was in such physical disarray, I was embarrassed for them...and they didn’t seem to notice or care. Scratched paint (to the metal), paint chipped off the bumper, almost every panel misaligned, front sensor pushed in. I first walked up to the car thinking the driver door was ajar, nope just so badly misaligned! The only thing I bothered to look at was the dirt on the driver seat. I didn’t look at any more. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy the service center a) didn’t notice and b) didn’t really seem to care c) tried to use touch up paint to try and deliver the car to me. Just got notification my replacement is on its way, to a different service center...maybe they’ll care about its condition. If I have to refuse delivery again, it may be their last shot with me. Or I’ll wait for the cyber truck, maybe they’ll have their shit together by then. They’re trying to compete with the luxury brands but the technology won’t cut it if you piss everyone off with lack of customer service and QUALITY BEFORE DELIVERY!!!"

— r/teslamotors · 2026

Showing 8 of 487 owner excerpts (sorted by sentiment strength)

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Tesla Model Y Years on TrimIndex

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